Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program
The Piro Lito Lab
Research

Our group studies the properties of oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth, focusing on lung cancer and other solid tumors. We are interested in understanding how these are activated, their regulatory mechanisms, and how they modulate the behavior of cancer cells. To answer these questions we utilize small molecule inhibitors coupled with biochemical and genetic approaches in patient-derived cell line or xenograft model systems. We aim to provide insight into the fundamental processes that govern tumor biology and to identify therapeutic interventions that will prolong survival and improve the quality of life in patients with cancer.
Research Projects

Featured News



Publications
Zhao Y, Murciano-Goroff Y, Xue Y, Ang A, Lucas J, Da Cruz Paula A, Mai T, Sisk A, Arora K, Roy R, Kim D, Li C, Lim L, Li M, Bahr A, Loomis B, de Stanchina E, Reis-Filho J, Weigelt B, Berger M, Riely G, Arbour K, Lipford R, Li B and Lito P. Diverse genetic alterations associated with resistance to KRAS(G12C) inhibition.Nature. 2021 Nov 10; 599(7886):679-683. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04065-2 PMID: 34759319
Li C, Vides A, Kim D, Xue J, Zhao Y and Lito P. The G-protein signaling regulator RGS3 enhances the GTPase activity of KRAS. Science. 2021 Oct 8;374(6564):197-201 PMID: 34618566
Xue JY, Zhao Y, Aronowitz J, Mai TT, Vides A, Qeriqi B, Kim D, Li C, de Stanchina E, Mazutis L, Risso D, Lito P. Rapid non-uniform adaptation to conformation-specific KRAS(G12C) inhibition. Nature. 2020;577(7790):421-5. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1884-x. PMID: 31915379
Hong DS*, Fakih MG, Strickler JH, Desai J, Durm JA,Shapiro GI, Falchook GS, Price TJ, Denlinger CS, Bang YJ, Dy GK, Krauss JC, Kuboki Y, Kuo JC, Coveler AL, Park K, Kim TW, Barlesi F, Munster PN, Burns TF, Meric-Bernstam F, Henary H, Ngang J, Ngarmchamnanrith G, Kim J, Houk BE, Canon J, Lipford JR, Lito P*, Govindan R*, Li BT*. KRAS G12C inhibition in advanced solid tumors. New England Journal of Medicine, 2020. Sep 24;383(13):1207-1217. PMID: 32955176* Equal contribution/co-senior authors
People

Piro Lito, MD, PhD
- Physician-scientist Piro Lito studies oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth.
- MD,PhD, Michigan State University
- View physician profile
- Physician profile
Members







Research Technician

Research Associate

Research Associate

Research Fellow
Research Fellow

Research Technician

Tri-I MD/PhD student

Research Associate

Lab Alumni

Research Technician
Lab Affiliations
Achievements
- ASCI Seldin Smith Award (2022)
- 2022 Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators
- FNIH Trailblazer Prize for Clinician Scientists (2021)
- Josie Robertson Investigator (2016-2021)
- Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research (2019)
Read more
- Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator (2017)
- The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Translational Research Award (2015)
- LUNGevity Foundation, Career Development Award (2015)
- NIH K08, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (2015)
- Stand up to Cancer Lung Cancer Dream Team, Young Investigator (2015)
- Conquer Cancer Foundation, Young Investigator Award (2013)
- Charles A. Dana Fellow/Clinical Scholar in Biomedical Research (2011)
Open Positions
To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center
To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs
Postdoctoral Positions
Get in Touch
-
Lab Phone
Disclosures
Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.
MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.
Piro Lito discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
-
AmMax Bio, Inc.
Provision of Services -
Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc.
Provision of Services -
Boehringer Ingelheim
Provision of Services
-
Frontier Medicines Corporation
Ownership / Equity Interests; Provision of Services -
Repare Therapeutics
Provision of Services (uncompensated) -
Revolution Medicines
Provision of Services
The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.
This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2021 through disclosure submission in spring 2022). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.
Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].